Bringing Mama Home
by moonlite1894
Summary: To Marie, fate was cruel. It hated her family. It burdened her father. It seemed unchangeable. With her father's new device, Marie is determined to bring back the one person who's fate resulted in her existence. I do NOT own P&F, its characters or locations, or the OCs Marie and Thomas.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all of the support for my last story. Hope you enjoy this one as well. ^^**

"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Ferb!" Marie called back as she made her way up the stairs of her home. Ferb smiled and watched his niece until she was safely in the house before driving off.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Marie sighed and dropped her book bag beside the door. She walked over to the entry way of the living room and peered around. She looked from the puffy sofa to the small recliner in the corner, finding no one. On the coffee table, she noticed a scattered mess of blueprints and sketches. She walked over to them and giggled.

_'Daddy is so unorganized. It makes me wonder how he manages to build such amazing things.'_ Her eyes scanned them curiously. She passed over the plans for flying vehicles and teleporters unimpressed. After all, her father had built many like them, even allowing her to help at times. She was about to walk away when she spotted an unfamiliar blueprint. She pulled it from the mess of papers and eyed it in awe. The device had the design of a small tablet with a small satellite dish sticking up from an upper corner.

_'Cool, it looks like a cell phone. I wonder what it does.'_ She scanned the equations scribbled across the paper for any clues.

_'Hmmm. A few of these equations I remember from when Daddy built those donut-shaped teleporters. The others are completely new to me.'_ She continued her investigation until a loud clash came from the kitchen. Marie smiled and shook her head when she heard a familiar voice grunt in pain. She made her way to the kitchen, blueprint in hand.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Ingredients for dinner covered the counters lining the wall. The stove was heating a large pot and the island in the center of the room held bowls full of mixtures ready to be cooked. The only visible hint that something was amiss was the open fridge. Marie rolled her eyes and walked around the island. There, she found the cause of the racket. She bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter.

"Are…are you okay?" Phineas looked up at his daughter with a toothy grin. Various pieces of vegetables were scattered around him.

"Marie, you're home! Yea, I'm okay. I was just testing out how many items I could carry over to the counter. It…didn't go too well." Marie smiled down at her father and extended her hand. She pulled him up and helped him gather the fallen ingredients. Phineas placed them into the sink and began cleaning them.

"So, how was school?" Marie pulled up a stool to the island and lay out the blueprint in front of her.

"It was okay. The teacher got mad because apparently eleven year-olds aren't supposed to tamper with the laws of physics." He laughed and looked over at her.

"What did you do?" She propped her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hand and started looking over the mysterious plans again.

"I made an anti-gravity disk. I only meant for it to affect me and Tommy, but it went crazy and everyone began to float. Luckily, Tommy made a remote for it and shut it off before things got too out of hand." Her father shook his head and smiled.

"I remember teachers telling me and your uncle the same thing. I guess it runs in the Flynn-Fletcher blood." He dried off the vegetables and began chopping them.

"Anything else happen today?" Marie shook her head.

"Not really. After that, Tommy made me promise not to build anything until the weekend. I only said yes because I made him promise that he would help me build something way cooler than what we normally do in school." Phineas dumped the chopped veggies into the large pot.

"Just as long as it doesn't put anyone in danger." He grabbed the mixtures from the island and dumped them in as well. He set the stove to simmer and covered the pot. He sighed and wiped his hands on his apron.

"Well, that was fairly easy." Marie hopped down from the stool and walked over to her father, eyeing the pot.

"What'cha making?" She lifted the pot and inhaled. A spicy mix of beef, beans, and peppers filled her nose.

"Chili con Carne." Her eyes lit up as she looked up at him.

"You finally got Abuela's recipe?" Phineas nodded proudly.

"Yep, hopefully it will turn out just as good. It should be done by the time we are ready to eat." She jumped in excitement and returned to the stool while he cleaned up. When everything was clear, he walked over to the island. He stood across from her and leaned his forearms on the counter. He smiled when he noticed the blueprint she was inspecting.

"I see you found the plans for the cell phone I made your Aunt Candace when we were kids." Marie raised her head at her father curiously.

"So it's just a cell phone?" He shook his head and pulled the plans over to him.

"Hardly. We added a ton of extras onto it." He pointed to the small satellite dish.

"This, for instance, was used to teleport anyone anywhere. You just needed to say where you wanted to go and you were there in an instant." Marie stared at the paper in awe.

"So THAT'S what the teleportation equations were for." She pointed to the unfamiliar formulas.

"What are those for?" Phineas scratched his chin for a moment.

"If I remember correctly, these are space-time equations." Her eyes widened in excitement.

"You mean like time travel?" He nodded.

"Yep. Baljeet is doing research on the space-time continuum to see if it's possible to alter the existence of things like plants and animals presently by tampering with events from the past. I'm remodeling these old plans so that you can travel to any time you choose. He's hoping to finally have a pet dinosaur. " Her mouth hung open the entire time he spoke.

"Have you actually been back in time, Daddy?" He nodded slowly.

"Yep. When we were your age, we actually visited your cousin's Xavier and Fred to borrow something from them to bring back to our time. We managed to mess up the timeline and had to go further into the past to stop us from doing it." Marie saw her father's eyes glaze over in nostalgia. She loved when he told her stories that lightened their moods. She tilted her head as her father continued in his reminiscing.

"So how did you know what to do to fix it?" Phineas felt his heart get heavy at her question. He straightened up and pushed the blueprints back to his daughter. He turned around and stirred the contents of the pot. She raised an eyebrow at her father's actions. He placed the spoon beside the pot and turned back to her. He opened his mouth slightly, hesitant to speak. A sad smile formed on his face as he looked into his daughter's inquisitive blue eyes.

"Your uncle and I weren't that smart. Luckily, your mother was."

"Oh…" Marie said sadly. She lowered her head, losing her previous enthusiasm. She felt herself begin to tear up. Phineas sighed and walked around to her side. He pulled her into a sideways hug.

"Hey, hey, hey…don't cry. I know you miss her, and so do I. Just know that your mother is looking down right now… and is trying to beat me with a spirit stick for making you cry." Marie looked up at her father and smiled slightly. His weird sense of humor always cheered her up. He smiled and gave her a quick squeeze.

"There we go! There's the tough Garcia-Shapiro spirit I remember." He removed his apron and lay it on the counter. He walked over to the garage door and motioned for Marie.

"Come on. You can help me work on the phone until the chili is ready." Marie jumped from the stool and ran to her father, eager to build her first time machine.

For hours, they worked on the phone, programming and remodeling it. They loved working like this. It kept their minds in a happier place. With a final twist of a screwdriver, Phineas sat back and looked proudly at his daughter.

"It's finished!" He and Marie stared in awe of their work. The phone's dark metal shined under the garage's light. The small satellite pointed to the sky, ready to work. The screen was filled with various apps, both useful and random. Marie jumped forward and grabbed the phone.

"Alright, let's test it out!" Before she could press anything, Phineas took it from her, shaking his head. He turned the phone off and the satellite folded into the phone, making it flat.

"Not tonight, Marie. I want to run tests on it first before letting you try. Besides, I think I smell finished chili." The smell hit her nose as soon as he said it. He placed the phone on the work table and walked towards the kitchen. Marie looked back disappointedly at the phone before joining him.

Dinner was spent talking about his past inventions. Marie never grew tired of hearing about the impossible things her father did as a child. They often lead to a spark of inspiration. When they finished eating, she headed upstairs to ready for bed. She threw on her favorite orange pajamas and jumped onto her bed. A few minutes later, Phineas came in and tucked her in.

"So, Daddy. Can we test out the phone tomorrow? Pretty please?" Phineas chuckled

"We'll see." He kissed her forehead as she snuggled into her sheets.

"Goodnight, honey. Try to get some sleep." He turned off her lights and closed the door softly behind him. When she heard his footsteps disappear, she rolled over on turned on her bedside lamp.

_'He expects me to get sleep after making such an awesome phone?'_ She grabbed the sketchpad and pen from her desk and began replicating the space-time equations.

_'Tommy will definitely have to help me make a time machine. Let's see, how about…'_ She doodled different shapes and sizes they could make it. After a while, it became hard to focus. She yawned and threw the sketchpad and pen to the floor. The clock read 1:30.

_'Man, I'm beat…and thirsty. Better grabbed a glass of water for the night.'_ She threw back her covers and walked quietly to her door, down the hall, and down the steps. She stumbled a few times in the dark, but the noise was minuscule. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed a small light coming from the living room. Sneaking over the wall beside the entryway, she peered around to investigate.

Phineas was sitting on the couch, a small lamp above the couch providing a little light. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees. One hand was covering his eyes while the other arm lay limply on his knee. The light reflected off of his face, revealing a small trail of tears. Marie eyed her father worriedly.

_'What's wrong with Daddy?'_ She saw something in his hand. She leaned forward for a better look.

Hanging loosely in his fingers was a picture of a woman with long raven hair, in a hospital bed, holding a small baby with fiery red hair. Beside her was a small bouquet of flowers with a balloon that read "It's A Girl!" Marie backed away from the entryway and made her way back upstairs. She closed her door behind her and leaned against it.

_'He's crying over Mama.'_ She sank to the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. She placed her forehead on her knees. Soon, she was in tears.

_'Why did it end up like this?'_ She wiped her eyes and looked over to her bed. She lifted herself off the floor and flung herself into her pillows. She reached under her bed and pulled out a small pink box. A lump formed in her throat as she dumped its contents onto her bed. Tears began to return as she looked over pictures of her mother.

The first one was a picture of when she and her father were her age. They were standing in front of a spaceship that they had built earlier that summer. Her mother stood between the two brothers, arms thrown around their necks. She had on a red collar with small, tan wings sticking out, a thick red helmet, and heavy red boots. Her father and uncle simply wore red helmets and boots. All three of them were smiling widely, despite the danger ahead. Marie smiled as she remembered the story she was told, how they saved Meap's home world and still made it back in time for lunch. She fumbled through the pictures of her mother's childhood. She would recall everything she was told about them. She remembered how her mother and her friends dirtied up their Fireside uniforms at the old, abandoned Old Abandoned amusement park, how excited her mother was when her father asked her out on their cruise ship, even why her mother and aunt were dressed in a horse suit with tennis rackets.

Marie smiled as she picked up the next picture. Her father and mother were sitting on a bed in a white room. Her mother's chest was wrapped in cloth and she looked exhausted. Her father sat extremely close to her with an arm around her waist. She remembered him saying that this was scary time for both of them. Her mother had enough strength to pull through, though.

_'If only she had it then.'_

Marie picked through the remaining pictures. She relived their wedding day, honeymoon, and her mother's pregnancy. Finally, she was down to the last picture. It was the same one her father had. She smiled at the happy expression on her mother's face.

_'Daddy said that I stopped crying whenever I was in her arms.'_ She felt tears fall down her face more heavily than before. She hugged the picture to her chest.

_'Mama, I wish you were here now. We need you. Daddy is so lonely. I would give anything if you could be here.'_ She shook her head at the impossibility. Last year, she finally convinced her father to explain the circumstances of her mother's death. His answer shook her at her core.

_"Complications at birth."_

She remembered crying in his arms all night. He comforted her as best as he could, telling her that it wasn't her fault. It only helped a little.

_'None of this would have happened if she didn't have me. I wish things were different. Maybe then everything would be okay with Daddy.'_ She looked at the picture intently.

_'If only I could change the past.'_ Marie's eyes widened as her mind began to formulate a plan.

_'Of course, the phone! I could go back and convince Mama not have me. That way she and Daddy could be happy together.'_

She hopped from her bed and ran to her closet, quickly changing into her white tee and orange dress. She pulled on her shoes and belt. She walked back over to her bed and grabbed the picture of her mother holding her. She smiled and stuffed it into her dress' pocket. She snuck down into the garage, noticing her father had gone to bed.

The garage door creaked open as she stepped inside. She walked over and turned on the work table's lamp. She carefully lifted the phone and turned it on. The apps flooded the screen. She scrolled through them until she came across one with the picture of a clock labeled "T.T.". When she opened it, the satellite flipped out and pointed at her. A microphone appeared on screen and waited for a command.

_'Okay, I need to choose a time where Mama isn't dating Daddy. Maybe I should choose when they were in high school. She's bound to agree with me then.'_ Marie leaned close to the phone to whisper.

"Go to Danville High School, 22 years in the past." The phone vibrated in her hand as the satellite charged up. A beam shot downward and began scanning her feet. She felt a tingling sensation as she began pixelating under the beam. She smiled towards the door.

_'Don't worry, Daddy. I'm going to bring Mama back.'_

And with a flash, she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry for making some of you cry...actually cried myself ^^U. Anyways, hope you enjoy this next chapter.  
P.S. - For the person that asked, I am proud to say that yes, I am a Christian.**

Isabella stretched her arms high above her head. As much as she loved mentoring Fireside Girls, sometimes they just wore her out. Today, the girls wanted to earn their "Running With the Bullies" patch, so she had to 'ask' Buford to help. After a few laps around the school, the girls left happily with their new patch. She made her way back to the small classroom she reserved for their meeting. She grabbed her book bag from the corner and sat at one of the round tables at the front of the room.

_'Finally, some peace and quiet to work on the paperwork.'_ She eagerly pulled out a thick white envelope from her bag. She smiled at the Fireside symbol embedded in the corner.

A few months ago, she had had a meeting with Mrs. Feyersied to discuss opening a new branch of the Fireside Girls. She wanted to open a branch to help with wildlife on Danville Mountain. Mrs. Feyersied was hesitant at first, but with the support of the rest of her troop, she decided to give it a shot. Isabella pulled out the small stack of papers and a pen. She went through them carefully, reading every clause twice to ensure she wrote down the correct information. Simple questions like names and addresses soon turned into lengthy essays. She sighed and lay her pen down, rubbing her aching hand. She had finished four essays for the application and barely left a dent in the stack.

_'This may take a while.'_ She turned and looked up at the clock. She smiled as she returned to her work.

Marie blinked her eyes a few times before they adjusted to the dimly lit hallway.

_'Guess I came at the wrong time. Kind of ironic when you think about.'_ She placed the phone in her pocket, setting it gently against her picture.

_'Okay, let's see if we can find her.'_ She looked around the empty hallways, occasionally peering in a few doors curiously. When she rounded the corner of the main hallway, she saw light coming from an open door. She sneaked up to the door as quietly as possible. She placed her back against the wall beside it and peered around. The room had a few round tables spread around with wooden chairs lining them. A big wooden desk sat in the front with a filthy whiteboard behind it.

_'Ew. So this is what a high school looks is like. Definitely not looking forward to it.'_ She jumped when she heard one of the chairs creak. She jerked her head towards the source of the noise. Her eyes went wide when she saw raven hair overlap the top of the chair. She stared at the young woman's back for a moment before pulling her head back. She leaned back against the wall as she felt her knees getting weak. She placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

_'It…it's her…it's really her!'_ She felt butterflies arise in her stomach. She was suddenly unsure of what to do.

_'What should I do? This is the first time I've seen her in person. I want to run over and hug her to death, but what then? How am I supposed to explain this?'_ She gulped.

_'Maybe I should try this some other time.'_ She reached in her pocket for the phone.

"There's no need to be afraid. I won't bite." Marie's eyes widened.

_'Was she talking…to me?'_ She peered around the door. Isabella giggled at Marie's expression.

"Are you going to come speak to me or keep hiding there?" Marie entered and slowly walked to the table, still in shock. Isabella pulled up another chair and motioned for her to sit. When Marie was settled beside her young mother, her brain began to form words.

"How…how did you know I was here?" Isabella smirked and crossed her arms.

"You didn't think you got your time-traveling skills from your father, did you?" Marie was taken back.

"Wait, so you know who I am?"

"Of course, I can recognize my own daughter." Marie lowered her head, her voice lowering to a mumble.

"Then I guess you know why I'm here." Isabella pulled together the papers that were scattered across the desk and placed them back into their envelope, pushing them to the side. She leaned her elbow on the table and looked at her saddened daughter.

"Not completely, but I'm assuming it's important considering you're risking punishment to be here." Marie gulped.

"I…I need you to promise me something." Isabella tilted her head curiously.

"What would that be?" Marie felt her heartbeat rising again. She let out a calming sigh and looked up at her mother. Her face set in determination.

"I want you to not have me in the future." Isabella blinked in surprise. She eyed her daughter concernedly. Despite her determination, her eyes shined with withheld tears. Isabella sighed and looked at her daughter sternly.

"That's out of the question." Marie was shocked at her mother's response.

"But…but you have to listen to me. If you have me, then you'll…"

"I know." Isabella's voice lowered in sadness. Marie stared at her mother in disbelief. She felt herself getting angry.

_'She…knows?'_ She gritted her teeth and stood up roughly, making the chair fall behind her. Unbeknownst to her, the phone and picture fell from her pocket to the floor as well. Hot tears fell as she snapped her eyes shut and released her anger.

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU STOP IT FROM HAPPENING?" Her outburst made Isabella jump. Her heart became heavy as she watched her daughter. Her face was downcast, tears rolling off her nose and dotting the floor. She rubbed her fists against her eyes to try and stop them, but they came faster instead.

"Marie…" Isabella got up from her seat and knelt before her daughter. She wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Marie sank to the floor and cried against her mother's chest. Isabella stroked her head soothingly and began humming a lullaby. After a while, Marie's crying reduced to sniffles. She pulled back and sat across from her mother.

"Daddy said I would stop crying when you held me. Now I finally know what it feels like." Isabella smiled and wiped a lingering tear from her daughter's eyes. Marie looked up at her sadly.

"If you know, then why don't you prevent it? You and Daddy could be happy together." Isabella placed a loving hand on her shoulder.

"Because I couldn't live with the fact that I had put my life ahead of my own daughter's." Marie felt a lump develop in her throat. She lowered her head and her voice came out shakily.

"But Daddy's so sad." Isabella placed a finger under Marie's chin and made her look at her. Marie's eyes were filling with tears again.

"And it would break his heart even worse to know that he had lost his only daughter. You are the most precious thing in his heart and he wouldn't trade you for anything or anyone." Marie stared at her mother in thought.

_'He loves me…that much?'_ She wiped her eyes and smiled weakly at her mother.

"I guess you're right." Isabella smiled and patted Marie's head.

"That's my girl." She grabbed the fallen phone and picture. She handed the photo to Marie while she began messing with the phone.

"You're lucky your father presets the time on his time-traveling devices to 6 p.m. Otherwise, you would have ended up here during the wee hours of the morning." Marie blushed in embarrassment. Isabella laughed and handed her back the phone.

"Don't worry, honey. I've recorded my address and times that I'm home in there so you can come back whenever you want to. All you have to do is say my name." Marie's eyes lit up.

"You mean I can come back?" Isabella nodded.

"Of course, just make sure it isn't during school. I don't want you skipping classes." Marie sighed.

"Yes, ma'am." Isabella chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Good. Next time, I'll teach you how to use time travel more effectively. You got lucky this time." Marie grinned widely and jumped excitedly into her mother's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She pulled back and turned on the phone. She stared at the microphone on the screen silently. Isabella giggled.

"Just tell it that you want to go to the present. You'll go back to the moment you first used it." Marie rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.

"T-thanks!" She looked down at the phone.

"To the present." It vibrated and the satellite began scanning her feet. Marie waved goodbye to her mother as she disappeared. Isabella waved slowly as a flash took her daughter back. She smiled and grabbed her things. She stretched her hands above her head as she made her way down the hall.

_'I could sure go for some coffee.' _

Marie shook her head as her eyes adjusted to the garage's light. She looked around as she replaced the phone on the work table.

_'I'm home.'_ She turned off the garage light and snuck over to the door, peering into the kitchen. When she saw the coast was clear, she snuck over to the steps and into her room. She quickly changed back into her pajamas and walked over to her bed. She smiled as she scooped the pictures into her box.

_'Oh yea, almost forgot one.'_ She picked up her dress and searched its pockets. She pulled out her favorite picture and smiled. She hopped on her bed and stared at it in thought.

_'Looks like I couldn't bring her back my way.'_ Her eyes lingered on her mother's smiling face.

_'If only I knew what exactly went wrong, maybe I could go back and stop it. That way we can be a family together.'_ She placed the picture in the box gently and pushed it under her bed. She pulled her sheets over her and snuggled into her pillows.

_'I'll ask Daddy. I need to try.'_ Her eyelids became heavy and soon, she was deep asleep.

Phineas rolled over and looked at the clock.

_'Well, I'm up so I might I well get ready for the day.'_ He grabbed his glasses and pulled on some fresh clothes. He walked down the hall and stopped in front of Marie's room. He peered in and saw her sleeping peacefully. He smiled and gently closed the door.

_'Hate to say it, but she's more adorable than Isabella ever was.'_ He yawned as he headed downstairs to the kitchen. He grabbed supplies from the cabinet and readied the coffee maker. He leaned on the counter and read the paper as the smell of coffee filled the room. When the machine beeped, he grabbed a mug from the cabinet, filling it with the hot beverage. He placed the mug on the table and turned to grab the sugar and cream.

"She's something else, isn't she?" Phineas smiled as he turned around to face the table.

Isabella traced the rim of the mug with her fingers. She leaned an elbow on the table and crossed her legs. She smiled gratefully as he placed the sugar and cream in front of her. He grabbed himself some coffee and two spoons before joining her.

"Well, she is our daughter after all." She giggled as she stirred her now light brown coffee.

"Good point." She set the spoon down and took a long sip of the much awaited coffee. She sighed contently and turned to her future husband.

"She came to see me." Phineas nodded slowly as he sipped his black coffee.

"You don't seem too surprised at that." He shrugged.

"We completed the new phone yesterday. I had a feeling she would get curious. How did it go?" She smiled.

"We had a rocky start, but it settled down. She has my permission to visit again, so please 'accidentally' leave the phone laying around in the garage." Phineas chuckled.

"Can do." Isabella's gaze fell to her coffee. She eyed it silently, her expression reflecting melancholy.

"You're thinking that she can do it, aren't you?" She looked up meekly at his question. He smiled and placed a hand on hers.

"I think she can, too. She's more inventive than I was at her age. I may not have been able to do anything, but she is." Isabella smiled at his encouraging words. She got up and kissed his forehead.

"Just don't let her hurt herself." She pulled out her phone from her pocket. Phineas blinked in surprise.

"You have the original?"

"I went back and got it. The watch you made for me shorted out last time, remember?" He smiled nostalgically.

"Oh yeah." Isabella rolled her eyes playfully.

"See you later." A small satellite dish popped out from the phone.

"To the present." Moments later, she was gone. Phineas gathered the mugs and spoons and dumped them into the sink. He glanced out the window at sun peeking over the neighborhood.

_'I know you can do it, Marie.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the looong delay, guys. These past couple of weeks have been heck. Hope you enjoy this chapter. ^^**

Marie yawned and stretched her arms high above her head as she and Thomas made their way down the hall to class.

"You stayed up late planning inventions again, didn't you?" Marie glanced over at the slightly irritated boy. Thomas raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well?" She crossed her arms and pouted.

"Not exactly." She saw him shake his head in disappointment. Her eyes fell to the floor and glazed over as she recalled the events from last night. Her mouth curled upward in a small smile from the moment shared with her mother, then fell to a solemn line as she remembered what she needed to ask her father.

"Did you hear me, Marie?" She blinked in confusion as she snapped out of her trance.

"Sorry, Tommy, what did you say?" He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I said it's almost time for class. We had better hurry before we're late." Her eyes went wide and she gasped.

"Oh my gosh! Come on Tommy, what are we standing here for?" She grabbed his hand and took off towards the classroom. Thomas blushed slightly. He sighed and matched her pace.

"I've told you before, don't call me 'Tommy'."

Classes seemed to drag on, not that Marie paid them any attention. Her mind kept wandering to her impending question. She was ready to hear what took her mother away in hopes of finding a solution to stopping it, but doubt rose alongside hope.

_'What if it's something incurable? What if I manage to create something to stop it, but it fails? What if…?'_ Her thought were interrupted by the final bell. She gathered her things and raced out to her uncle's car. She stared out the window in thought the entire ride home. As much as he liked the silence, Thomas knew that something was bothering her badly.

"Marie, you've been out of it all day. What's wrong?" Marie turned to him and smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, Tommy. I'm just thinking." He opened his mouth to protest, but stopped as they pulled up to her house. She hopped out of the car and quickly entered her house. Thomas watched her house in the mirror as they drove off. Ferb chuckled.

"Just relax, son. She'll tell you when she's ready." Thomas placed his chin in his hand as he leaned his elbow against the car door.

"Whatever."

Marie threw her book bag to the floor and leaned against the door.

_'Okay, let's do this.'_ She walked hesitantly over to the living room.

"Daddy, I'm home." The living room was empty. She walked over to the stairs and hollered up the stairway.

"Daddy?" There was no response.

_'Where is he?'_ She walked into the kitchen. On the island sat a small note. She picked it up and read it.

'Marie,  
Had to go repair Football X-7 stadium. Be back before dinner.  
Love, Daddy.'

Marie sighed in disappointment.

_'Oh man, he's not here.'_ Suddenly, her face brightened.

"Wait, he's not here!" She flew up to her room, the note floating gently back down to the counter. She slid along the floor and grabbed her picture box from under her bed. She dumped its contents on the bed and began picking through them.

_'Let's see…aha!'_ She grabbed one of the pictures and stuffed it into her pocket. She ran back down the stairs. Making sure she was still alone, she made her way to the garage. The phone sat patiently on the counter. The screen flashed happily as she picked it up. Marie's hand shook slightly in excitement.

"Go to Isabella."

Isabella tapped her pencil impatiently against her desk. Her math homework stared back at her with equal spite. She sighed in frustration and slammed her pencil down. She stretched her arms above her head and leaned as far back as she could.

_'I think that'll do it for the night.'_ She gathered her book and papers and pushed them into her book bag. As she finished, she saw a flash in the corner of her room. She giggled as Marie blinked a few times.

"It takes a while to get used to the flash. It helps to close your eyes when you start." Marie smiled and plopped on her mother's bed.

"Noted, so when can we get started on the next lesson?" Isabella placed her hand on her chin.

"Well, I could show you how to use the time of day properly, but I would need a time to go to." Marie began digging in her pocket.

"I have the solution right here." Isabella got up and walked over to the bed. She plopped down beside her daughter as she pulled out the picture.

"Let's go here."

Isabella took the picture with a smile. Her younger self smiled back, hair puffed out like an afro. The girls of her troop were decorated in heavy makeup and colorful wigs. Their clothes were caked in dirt. In the background, she could see Phineas riding a robot bull, laughing and holding on with everything he had. She laughed to herself as she recalled that day.

"Alright, this looks like a good place to go. With the crowd in the stands, we'll be able to blend in fairly easily." Marie tilted her head slightly.

"Blend in?" Isabella nodded.

"Since we're going to the past, we have to be careful not to alter it. That's why we had a mess to fix the last time your father built a time machine. If someone were to find out who we were, more specifically you, then it would draw some…unnecessary attention." Marie raised her eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Isabella blushed lightly.

"Well…I was a little bit of a…um…fan-girl of your father's when I was younger." Marie giggled at her mother's confession. Isabella nudged her playfully.

"Do you want to go or not?"

"Yeah!" Marie jumped excitedly from the bed and pulled out her phone. Isabella walked over, glancing thoughtfully over the picture.

"If I remember correctly, this happened June 26th five years ago." She turned her attention to the phone.

"Now, you have to tell the phone where you want to go, how many years it has been, the date and time. If you don't specify a time, your father has programmed it to send you to six o'clock p.m. on that day. We finished building the arena around ten in the morning, so that's the time we need to be there." Marie nodded as the satellite popped up. Isabella snapped her fingers.

"Oh, before I forget." She grabbed her jacket and threw it to Marie.

"Put this on." Marie looked at her mother questioningly. Isabella grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair into a tight bun. She winked at her daughter.

"Just in case." Marie shrugged as she pulled her arms through the purple jacket. Once it was comfortably on her, she held up the phone.

"Ready, mama?" Isabella nodded.

"Just remember what I told you before." Marie took a deep breathe.

"Okay." She held the phone close to her mouth.

"Go to the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, five years ago, June 26th at ten a.m." The green beam stretched across their feet. As it approached her chest, Marie looked up at her mother. She had her eyes closed.

_'Oh yeah, Mama said that closing my eyes would help.'_ She smiled and closed her eyes as the beam slowly pixelated them. After a few moments, an earthy smell and a cloud of dust hit her nose. Marie cracked her eyes open. Her mother was standing in front of her.

"Okay, we're here." Her eyes traveled above her mother to the huge arena behind her. The tall wooden stands rattled as fans stomped excitedly. She could hear the clanking of mechanical feet. She clapped her hands in excitement.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Isabella giggled and wrapped an arm around Marie.

"Okay, stick to the crowd, but stay close to me." Marie nodded and they began weaving in-between people.

Eventually, they made their way to a couple of seats near the exit. Marie's eyes widened in awe of the show in front of her. Robot bulls jumped around angrily, trying to buck off the kids. Their laughter mixed with the excitement of the crowd. She saw her father and uncle bounce by on their bulls. She scooted to the edge of her seat as she watched her younger mother stand on her bull, rocking and flipping with little effort.

Isabella smiled lovingly at her daughter. She would chuckle every time Marie squealed in delight as one of the Fireside girls would coax a bull into a barrier. Seeing her this happy was the best feeling she had ever felt before. After a few hours of complete bliss, a heavy fog began to roll in. Marie sat back and crossed her arms.

"Come on, it was getting good. What's going on?" Isabella giggled at her disappointment and grabbed her hand.

"That's our cue to leave." They made their way out of the exit and stopped next to the house. As soon as they turned around, the arena began sliding down the driveway, shaking the entire neighborhood.

"Woah!" Marie followed the arena until it rounded the house. She stood in awe in the middle of the driveway. Isabella smiled and shook her head.

"Okay, Marie. It's time to-"

Suddenly, the ground began shake slightly. Isabella turned her head quickly. Charging towards the driveway was a stray bull. Her eyes widened in horror. She turned on her heels and ran towards her daughter.

"MARIE!"

Marie turned happily towards your mother. She saw her mother running towards her, fear and determination mixed in her face. She was confused as to why, until she looked behind her. She froze when she saw the raging bull catching up to her mother. Her body wouldn't move. She stood in fear as the bull approached. Isabella could feel the bull on her heels.

_'I've got to get her out of the way. I have to protect my daughter!'_ She pushed herself harder, putting a little room between her and the bull.

As soon as she reached Marie, she pulled her to her chest and jumped to the side. The bull charged by them, nicking Isabella's ankle. Isabella turned her body under Marie's and hit the ground. They rolled into a small patch of grass beside the fence. Marie heard her mother grunt as they came to a stop. The shock began to wear off and tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly pulled back to sit on her knees as Isabella sat up. Isabella immediately began running her hands over Marie.

"Marie, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Marie shook her head slowly.

"I'm okay." She was enveloped in a tight hug.

"Thank goodness." Marie began crying into her mother's shoulder.

"I…I'm sorry, Ma…Mama." Isabella pushed her back and wiped her eyes.

"Hey, hey, there's no need to get upset about it. No one could have seen it coming. There's no reason for you to apologize, okay?" Marie sniffled and nodded. Isabella smiled and rose to her feet. She hissed when she put pressure on her ankle. Marie rushed over to support her mother.

"What's wrong, Mama?" Isabella smiled down at her.

"Don't worry, just a sprained ankle. I'll be fine." She patted Marie's shoulder.

"Let's get home." Marie nodded and dug into her pocket for the phone.

Before she could pull it out, she felt the jacket's hood being pulled quickly over her head. She glanced up at her mother. Isabella was staring in shock in the direction of the backyard, her once tight bun hanging loosely. Her eyes followed her mother's.

"Are you two okay?" Isabella forced a smile, her mind racing.

"Y-yes, we're fine. My…um… daughter just…got catch up in the commotion. " The green-haired boy raised an eyebrow questioningly. He turned his attention to Marie. Marie pulled the side of the hood over to hide her face, understanding her mother's intentions. He looked back to Isabella. Her eyes pleaded with his. He smirked and nodded.

"I get it, you were never here." He turned and walked back around the house to his brother. Isabella let out a sigh of relief and turned to Marie.

"Let's hurry." Marie nodded and pulled out the phone.

"To the present." Marie closed her eyes as the beam took them back.

When she opened her eyes, she saw her mother limping slightly to her bed. Marie rushed over as she propped her ankle on a pillow.

"Mama, do you need anything?" Isabella pointed to a small box on her dresser.

"There's a small ice pack in that first aid kit. Pop it on your knee and bring it here, please." Marie nodded and rushed over to the box. She pulled out a small white pack and slammed it against her knee. Feeling the pack getting cooler, she walked over to the bed and placed it gently on her mother's ankle. Isabella sighed contently.

"Thank you." Marie smiled.

"You're welcome. I just hope Uncle Ferb doesn't tell Daddy that he saw me." Isabella giggled.

"I know Ferb, he won't tell a soul." Marie sighed and threw the jacket on the desk chair.

"Good." She kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Thanks for protecting me." Isabella smiled softly and ran a hand through her daughter's hair.

"Whatever it takes to keep you safe." Marie's shoulder's slumped slightly.

"Yeah." She pulled out the phone and stepped back.

"See you tomorrow." Isabella eyed her concernedly.

"O-okay. I love you." Marie stared at her for a moment before smiling slightly.

"Love you too, Mama." She brought the phone to her mouth.

"To the present." She closed her eyes as the beam scanned her body. She felt a single tear roll down her cheek. She opened her eyes to a dimly lit garage.

_'Love you too…'_ She set the phone down and wiped her eye. She made her way to the living room and plopped on the couch. She felt her eyes getting heavy. She lay on her side, cuddling a pillow, and welcomed the pending nap.

_'…Mama.'_

Phineas sighed exhaustedly as he entered the house. The stadium simply needed a new battery for the gravity panels, but actually putting it in was time consuming. The setting sun indicated that dinner was soon needed. He walked into the living room and saw Marie asleep on the couch. He smiled and set the blueprints down gently. He planted a kiss on her forehead and turned towards the kitchen.

"Daddy?" He looked back at the groggy voice.

"Don't worry, I'm about to make dinner." Marie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Actually, Daddy, I wanted to talk to you." Phineas raised an eyebrow. He walked over and sat beside his daughter.

"Okay, what's on your mind?" Marie gulped and looked her father in the eyes.

"I…I have to know…" He eyed her in concern. She took a shaky breath and mustered up some courage.

"I have to know…how did Mama die?" Phineas was taken back. He felt a lump develop in his throat.

"Marie, I…we've already discussed this." Marie shook her head.

"No, we haven't. Daddy, I want to know exactly what killed her. I…I have to know…please…" He sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face. He looked at his daughter, hoping she would let it go for the moment. He was met with determined eyes.

_'Just like hers.'_ He sat back and patted her knee.

"Okay, if you think you're ready." Marie straightened up and spoke sternly.

"I am." He took a deep breath.

"Okay, where do I start? Um…let's see. The problem surfaced around the time she finished giving birth…"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here you go, guys! Hope you enjoy this next chp. ^^P.S. Try reading this while listening to 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift...I listened to it while writing...I cried (but only a little...)**

_"It's a girl?!" Phineas' voice rang throughout the waiting room. He was practically jumping with excitement. The doctor laughed and patted his shoulder._

_"Congratulations." Phineas smiled._

_"When can I see them?"_

_"Someone will come get you as soon as they've finished cleaning up." The doctor moved past him and made his way to the front desk. Phineas grabbed a seat across from the room that contained his wife and newly born daughter. He watched the door impatiently, his leg bouncing up and down at an incredible rate._

'Come on, come on, come on.'

_Suddenly, the door flew open. Phineas stood as one of the nurses entered the waiting room. She was still wearing a face mask and gloves. He noticed that the gloves were tainted pink. The nurse ran past Phineas to the doctor. Phineas saw the doctor's eyes widen and both of them ran back into Isabella's room. He started to panic. He grabbed the nurse's arms as she past._

_"Miss, what's going on?"_

_"Sir, I don't have time to explain at the moment." She pulled free and stepped inside the room. When she turned to close the door, Phineas raised his voice._

_"What do you mean? That's my wife and daughter in there!" The nurse sighed._

_"I understand that you're upset, sir, but I'll have the doctor explain it when we are finished." She closed the door in his face. Phineas growled and plopped angrily back in his seat. He placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. He folded his hands and placed his forehead against them._

'Please, PLEASE let everything be okay.'

_Phineas watched the door intently. Around him, he could hear nurses shuffling people in and out of other rooms. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles eager to meet the newest addition of the family. Through the walls, he could hear babies crying from fear of the new world around them. His heartbeat quickened._

'Please let one of them be mine.'_ After a long wait, the door in front of him opened and the doctor stepped through. Phineas shot up._

_"What's going on? How's the baby? Is Isabella okay?" The doctor held up his hand to stop him._

_"The baby is fine. Your wife is stable for now. She suffered from excessive bleeding while giving birth, but we've managed to stop it. We'll keep a close eye on her so it doesn't happen again." Phineas released a breath he didn't know he held._

_"Can I see her?" The doctor looked at him in thought for a moment. Behind him, the nurse from before came through the door._

_"We're finished." The doctor smiled and turned back to Phineas._

_"That would be a yes."_

_Phineas pushed past the doctor and entered the room. His eyes immediately went to his wife. Isabella was sitting against the headrest, pillows lining her back. She was hooked to an IV and a small heart monitor. Phineas noticed she was a little pale. She took notice of him and smiled weakly. He walked over and took her hand._

_"Isabella, are you okay?" She patted his hand._

_"Don't worry, honey. I'm fine." Phineas let out a sigh of relief. Isabella chuckled. He raised an eyebrow._

_"What?" She nodded towards the opposite wall. He turned to the wall and his heart skipped a beat._

_He got up and slowly walked towards the small bassinette. He lost his breath when he saw his infant daughter laying there. She was wrapped snuggly in a pink blanket, fiery red hair sticking out from her white beanie. He gently stroked her head._

_"She's beautiful." He smiled as she squirmed at his touch. Her mouth began to quiver and soon, she began to cry. Phineas jumped back in surprise. He looked frantically from his wife to his daughter._

_"What…I…um…uh…" Isabella giggled at her husband's confusion. She held out her arms._

_"Bring her here." Phineas gulped as he gently scooped up his crying daughter. He bounced her as he traveled back to the bed._

_"There, there." He gently placed her in Isabella's arms. Isabella ran the back of her finger lightly over the baby's cheek and began humming a lullaby. Soon, she was fast asleep in her mother's arms. Phineas smiled as he watched them snuggle._

_"What should we name her?" Isabella eyed her daughter for a moment._

_"How about…Marie?" He smiled and wrapped an arm around his wife._

_"That's perfect." He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to the whole family._

_'It's a girl. :)'_

_After a while, Vivian, Linda, Lawrence, and Ferb entered the room. Ferb placed a small bouquet of flowers with a balloon on the bedside table. He gave Phineas a big hug._

_"Congratulations, bro."_

_"Thanks. Where's Vanessa?"_

_"She's at home with Thomas. Once babies leave this place, they don't want them back." They both chuckled. Lawrence came up and wrapped his arms around Phineas._

_"Congratulations, my boy."_

_"Thanks, Dad." Vivian and Linda teared up as they shared in the congratulations. Everyone's attention turned to Isabella and the newest girl in the family. Isabella pulled the blanket down from around the baby's face._

_"Everyone, say hello to Marie." Vivian walked over and kissed her daughter's forehead._

_"I can't believe it. Mi niña with a little one of her own." Isabella smiled and passed Marie to her mother. Vivian held her granddaughter gently and began talking to her. Linda joined her, both instantly in love with her. Isabella watched them intently. Phineas saw her and laughed. He placed a hand on her shoulder._

_"Don't worry, they're not going to steal her." Isabella smiled up at her husband._

_"I can't help it. It's my baby girl." Phineas gave her a quick kiss._

_For the rest of the day, Marie was passed between the family. As much commotion that was going on, she slept soundly through it. Phineas shook his head at the thought._

'I guess I'm the only one she cries with.'_ He looked over at his wife. Isabella was holding her head in one hand and breathing rather heavily, looking paler than before. He walked over and rubbed her back._

_"What's wrong?" Isabella looked up and smiled weakly. Dark lines had formed under her eyes._

_"Nothing, just a little tired." Phineas nodded and walked over to the rest of the family._

_"Guys, Isabella's exhausted, so I think we're done for today." Linda handed the sleeping Marie to Phineas. She began whimpering, so he quickly placed her back in the bassinette to sleep. Everyone shared hugs and kisses with the new mommy and daddy and left. Phineas helped Isabella settle into bed. He kissed her forehead._

_"I'm staying in here tonight." She nodded and closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep. He smiled and sat in a rocking chair in the corner._

'Man, what a day!'_ The gently swaying of the chair soon put him to sleep._

_He was startled awake by a continuous beep. He jumped up and ran to Isabella's side._

_"Isabella? Isabella, wake up!" The doctor charged into the room with two nurses. He pushed Phineas aside and they began examining Isabella. He called one of the nurses over._

_"Get them out of here." The nurse nodded and turned to Phineas._

_"I need you to come with me." She walked over to the bassinet and scooped up Marie. Phineas stood in shock._

_"But I…" The nurse grabbed his arm and pulled him with her. Phineas watched as Isabella's room disappeared around the corner. The nurse stopped inside of a small nursery. She placed Marie in the crib and placed a hand on Phineas' shoulder._

_"Please stay here." She ran out of the room, leaving Phineas shocked and in thought._

'This…this can't be happening. I must be having a nightmare. This has to be a bad dream.'_ He was pulled out of his thoughts as Marie began to cry. He walked over and picked her up. He cradled her to his chest._

_"There, there, Marie. Everything is going to be okay." Marie started to cry harder. Phineas bounced her up and down._

'How did Isabella get her to stop crying?'_ He thought for a moment before it clicked. He stopped bouncing and gently ran the back of his finger over her cheek. Then, he began humming Isabella's lullaby. Marie's crying reduced to whimpers, sniffles, and hiccups. Phineas squeezed her tighter. His humming became shagged and he lowered his head._

'Everything is going to be okay.'_ Teardrops dotted his daughter's blanket._

Phineas leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. His eyes were filled with tears that he tried to hold back for his daughter. He took a ragged breath as he finished the tragic tale.

"The doctor said that because she lost a lot of blood, her heart was weakened. With the commotion of the day, her body never got the rest it needed and her heart couldn't circulate enough blood. She died that next morning." Marie wiped her eyes for the hundredth time. She got up and stood in front of her father. She hugged his neck tightly.

"Thank you for telling me, Daddy. I'm sorry for making you relive that." Phineas wrapped his arms lovingly around his daughter, a few tears escaping.

"Don't worry about it, Marie. You needed to know eventually." They pulled apart and Marie made her way to the stairs. Phineas headed to the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready shortly." Marie stopped and turned to him.

"I'm not hungry." He nodded understandingly.

"Okay. You can grab something later if you get hungry." Marie continued up the stairs and into her room. She closed her door and leaned against it.

_'It was her heart. How am I supposed to fix her heart?'_ Marie walked over to her bed and pulled out her picture box. She began looking through the pictures, tearing up when she saw her mother smiling at her.

_'There's no way I can save her. I'll never be able to bring her back.'_ She fished the rodeo picture from her pocket. Her mind replayed the day she spent with her mother.

_'Whatever it takes to keep you safe.'_ Isabella's words rang in Marie's head. Her face set in determination and she wiped away her tears.

_'I've got to try. I can't give up.'_ She threw the pictures back in the box and shoved it under her bed. She pulled out her sketchpad and pen and sat on her bed.

_'Okay, think, think, think. The heart circulates blood like an engine pumps fuel. If that's the case…'_ She began writing equations and designing sketches.

Soon, the sun had set and the moon was high in the sky. Marie yawned as she finished up her work. She closed her sketchpad and dropped it and the pen lazily on the floor. She pulled the covers up and climbed between them.

_'I'll get Tommy to look at them tomorrow.'_ Her eyes closed heavily as she fell asleep.

Phineas peeked in on his sleeping daughter.

_'She took that better than expected.'_ He noticed her sketchpad beside her bed and smiled slightly.

_'She truly misses you, Isabella. We both do.'_ He gently closed the door and made his way to bed. He plopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

_'She's been sketching more and more since she went to visit Isabella in the past. She really may be able to do this. I just hope she doesn't push herself too hard.'_ Phineas felt his eyes slowly close. He took a deep breath as sleep overcame him.

_'No matter what happens in the end, Marie, everything will be okay.'_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: OH MY GOSH! I can't believe it took so long to post this! I wish college would stay still long enough for me to write :(...anyways, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it after the wait!** ^^

Marie waited eagerly for the final bell. Her foot tapped the floor impatiently as her eyes passed between the teacher and the clock.

_'Come on bell, ring!'_ After a few moments, the bell resonated throughout the school. Marie shoved her things into her backpack and raced to her uncle's car. She dove into the car, sliding across the seat up to Thomas. Thomas jumped as she did, his cheeks turning pink at their close proximity. Her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Tommy, you HAVE to look at these new plans I drew!" He sighed and pushed her lightly back to her seat.

"Marie, you promised that we wouldn't build anything until this weekend."

"But it's Friday! Technically our weekend begins as soon as we get home." He folded his arms and turned towards the window.

"We're not running on technicalities, Marie."

"B-But…" Thomas felt a light tug on his sleeve. He turned to face Marie. She was leaning forward slightly, her fingertips gently gripping the edge of his sleeve. Her lip formed a small pout and her eyes pleaded with his.

"…you promised." He stared at her, his face once again turning pink. He gulped.

_'Come on, Thomas, you can't let her get to you. Resist those puppy dog eyes. Resist those…adorable blue eyes...and that pout. Resist!'_ He grabbed her hand and placed it on the seat.

"Fine." Marie clapped her hands together excitedly and threw her arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Tommy. You're the best!" He pulled her arms off of him.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't call me 'Tommy'." She reached into her backpack and pulled out her sketchbook.

"I need you to make sure that the calculations are right." She flipped it open to her latest sketch and handed it to him. He eyed the sketch intensely.

_'These equations are for electric impulses, but it seems she's altered them. The second half of them contains the mechanics of muscle movement. What is she trying to do this time?'_ He peered over at her. She was staring at the plans, her face stoic. Her eyes, however, were portraying determination, as if all her hopes were falling on this one project. He set the book in his lap.

"Marie, are you okay?" Marie sat back, grinning.

"Of course, silly!" Her grin fell to a small smile as she stared hopefully at the plans.

"Just…promise me something, okay?" Thomas raised an eyebrow.

"Okay…" She looked to him, her smile falling. Her eyes softened and begged him to agree. He thought, for a moment, that she was going to cry.

"Please…stay with me on this. I…I really need your help." His eyes widened slightly. This was a totally new side of Marie. Normally, she was ready to build whatever she could dream and dragged him along for the fun of it. Now, she seemed to doubt herself. She sounded as if she was carrying a burden that would crush her. His eyes softened. The car slowly pulled to a stop. Marie grabbed her bag and turned back to Thomas.

"Promise?" He sighed and nodded. She smiled and threw the door open.

"Thanks. Bye, Uncle Ferb." Ferb waved as she made her way up the stairs. He looked in the mirror at Thomas as they pulled away.

"It seems to me like she really wants your help on this project." Thomas nodded and smiled slightly. Ferb chuckled.

"Just make sure to hold true to your promise. You could be her knight in shining armor." Thomas blushed and turned to the window.

"W-whatever, Dad." His attention fell to the small blueprints before him.

_'She really needs me.'_

When the car jerked to a stop in the driveway, Thomas threw the book into his backpack and hurried into the house. Giving his mother a quick hug, he bounded up to his room. He dug out Marie's sketchbook, turned on his desk lamp, and began looking over the equations. He glanced over them for a long while, correcting a few of the electric impulse equations he knew.

_'Careless, as always.'_ He grimaced when he began reviewing the mechanics of muscle movement.

_'I don't understand. They don't seem to be centered around arm or leg movement. Why would she couple something like this with electric impulses? It doesn't make sense.'_ He growled and threw his pencil down. He stood and began pacing the room, slightly agitated. He stopped when a soft knock came from his door. Ferb popped his head in.

"Son, dinner is ready." Thomas sighed and followed his father downstairs. At the table, he shoved food into his mouth quickly. Ferb and Vanessa watched him with their mouths agape. Vanessa placed her hand on Thomas' arm.

"Honey, slow down. What's the rush?" He roughly swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Sorry, Mom. I just have some plans to look over before tomorrow." Vanessa shook her head.

"I'll never understand your and Marie's need to build things." Ferb chuckled.

"It's a Flynn-Fletcher thing." When everyone finished and the table was cleared, Thomas returned to the frustrating equations. He paced the floor for hours, biting his pencil in thought. His efforts in unraveling the equations and Marie's thoughts were futile. He fell back on his bed.

_'Why can't I understand this? This isn't like me…or Marie.'_ He felt his body get heavy and his eyes droop. There was a faint knock on the door before Ferb entered.

"Thomas, what are you still doing up? It's one in the morning." Thomas sat up and yawned.

"Sorry, Dad. I'm really having trouble." Ferb smiled and leaned against the door frame.

"With the equations or Marie?" Thomas blushed and walked over to his desk.

"The equations." He grabbed the sketchbook and handed it to his father.

"She's coupled electric impulse equations with the mechanics of muscle movement. I just don't get it." Ferb examined them for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll look over them. You should be in bed." Thomas yawned and stretched his arms high.

"Yes, sir." Ferb closed the door as Thomas readied for bed. He peeked into his and Vanessa's bedroom. Seeing her sleeping soundly, he smiled and made his way downstairs. He sat on the couch, the small table lamp making his work visible. He begin going over the plans. The equations were rather complicated, but nothing he didn't understand. His eyes flowed over Marie's handwriting and Thomas' corrections.

_'It's amazing that she came up with these at such an age. Phineas and I couldn't formulate these until high school. But what is she planning to build with these? These muscle movements are for internal processes, and it looks like these electric impulses are going to be transmitted.'_ He stood and began pacing.

_'Perhaps she means to stimulate something in the body, but what? Knowing Marie, she probably wants to make her stomach digest food more quickly so she can eat more sweets.'_ Ferb chuckled to himself.

_'No, she would have built something simpler so that she could use it sooner. The brain doesn't require movement, so she couldn't be trying to stimulate that, not that she would need it. What else would she want to stimulate?'_ He placed his hand on his chin, his head doing a check list of internal functions. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. He glanced over to the mantle above the television. He stared at a picture sitting in the center. Vanessa, Isabella, Phineas, and himself smiled at him. Towering above them was the Eiffel Tower. Ferb stared at the picture in shock.

"She couldn't possibly…" He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. His mind flashed back to his childhood, to the day he and Phineas built the robot rodeo. He recalled the two familiar faces in their driveway after the arena was taken. He turned his attention back to the blueprints. They suddenly made sense. He smiled pitifully.

"She certainly wants to." He returned to the couch and pulled out a pencil from the table drawer. He searched the equations diligently, correcting any and every mistake he found. After a while, he reviewed his work. He sat back and ran a hand over his face.

_'She is probably keeping this from her father. Otherwise she would have asked him to look over these. Considering that, she'll probably build it over here. How would she test this? It's dangerous to test on themselves.'_ He smirked and stood, stretching his body. He turned off the lamp and made his way to bed.

_'Perhaps they wouldn't mind a little assistance. I'll call__** him**__ tomorrow.'_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Oh...My...Gosh! It has been WAAAAYYY too long since my last post...(bad, Hayley, bad)...I hope this chapter will make up for it ^^U**

Marie tapped her foot impatiently as her father rang the doorbell. She had eagerly waited all night to be able to build her device and her uncle's slow stride to the door was driving her crazy. Phineas glanced amusingly at his daughter as she sighed.

"That eager to get to work, huh?" Marie grinned.

"You bet!" After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened.

"Geez, about time." Ferb chuckled at his niece's impatient comment.

"Sorry, I had an important call to make." He stepped aside and allowed Phineas and Marie to step through. Phineas gasped and placed his hand over his mouth melodramatically.

"It was so important that you would leave us out there? It must have been a life or death situation!" Ferb smiled sadly despite his brother's humor.

_'You have no idea.'_ Phineas straightened up and eyed his brother for a moment. Suddenly, his phone rang, causing him and Marie to jump. Quickly checking the message, he sighed and mumbled under his breath. He replaced it in his pocket and turned to Marie.

"Sorry, honey, that was work. I have to run out for a while." He kissed her forehead and walked towards the door.

"I'll be back later, bro." Soon, his car disappeared down the road. Ferb shook his head and looked down at Marie.

"I'm surprised he doesn't live in his office." She laughed.

"True." She glanced quickly around the room.

"Where's Tommy?" Ferb nodded towards the stairs and Marie took off. Stopping in front of a dark green door with a skid, Marie paused to catch her breath before knocking.

"Enter." She giggled as she entered the room.

"You sound way too serious for a kid." Thomas rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his desk. Marie wandered over and glanced over his shoulder.

"What'cha doin'?" He pushed back his chair and stood.

"Just finished looking over your plans." Marie clapped her hands together.

"Great! So it's ready?" Thomas walked past her to the door. She raised an eyebrow as he checked down the hallway and shut the door.

"Tommy?" He turned to face her and gave her a look she got all too often.

"What were you thinking?" Marie blinked in surprise.

"What are you-?"

"Your blueprints." He pointed to his desk. She walked over and looked at her plans. Most of her original equations had been either corrected or scratched out completely. Notes about the structure of the device dotted the paper. Along the bottom, a note was written to Thomas, stating the only possible reason to build the device. Marie's eyes widened.

" 'To rejuvenate the heart' " Thomas said, quoting the note. Marie turned to him, shock still evident.

"How-?"

"Dad." She looked back to her plans in wonder.

"Uncle…Ferb?" Thomas crossed his arms.

"Yeah, he worked on it after I went to bed. The only thing he has told me is written there. When I asked him, he said I should talk to you." Marie sunk down onto his bed, staring at the floor in melancholy.

"I see." Thomas pulled up his office chair and sat in front of her. Leaning on his knees with his elbows, he watched her intently, waiting for an explanation. She glanced up at him momentarily, shying away under his stare.

"You…wouldn't understand." His eyes narrowed.

"Try me." After a few moments, Marie sighed.

"It's just…I just…your mom…she's pretty awesome, isn't she?" Thomas sat back, answering slowly.

"Yeah." Marie started fiddling with her fingers.

"Well, that's why I want to do this. I want to be able to answer that question." She got up and began pacing.

"I…I've seen pictures and heard stories. I've even…but that's all the past." She stopped and turned to face him.

"I don't want to know what she did. I want to know what she's going to do. I want to know what she's going to cook for dinner tonight. I want to be scolded by her for blowing something up. I want to…" She took an uneven breath to force back her tears.

"Daddy told me how she died. It was her heart. I just know that I can do something to help her." She walked over and stood in front of him, hands folded together, pleading.

"Please, Tommy. I need your help. Please…pretty please?" Thomas looked at her, surprised at her vulnerability.

_'All these years, she's hid her pain behind enthusiasm. This project is her hope to gain what she's been searching for; her very own happy, complete family.'_ He sighed and glanced over to her plans lying on his bed.

"Well, it would be a waste of work not to build it…alright, there should be enough supplies in the shed." Marie's face lit up. She threw her arms around his neck, the chair sliding across the floor from the force.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Thomas grunted, blushing and speechless. With her arms around his neck, her head rested against his chest, her body sagged between his legs and her legs rested against the floor. He carefully placed his arms around her, both to return her affection and keep her from falling to the floor. He smiled slightly as she snuggled into his chest. After a while, he cleared his throat.

"If we plan on finishing it before dinner, then we had better get started." Marie stood, wiping her eyes, and nodded. When they got to the living room, they heard Ferb chuckle from the kitchen.

"I thought you two would never come down. I was about to check on you." Marie giggled and walked over to her uncle. She hugged his waist.

"Thanks, Uncle Ferb…for everything." Ferb smiled and patted her head.

"You're welcome, darling." Marie ran back to Thomas and grabbed his hand, pulling him out to the backyard.

After gathering their supplies, they laid out the plans and began working. Ferb settled down on a stool beside the counter and watched them from the glass sliding door. For a long time, they welded metal scraps and wired circuit boards. Every now and then, Marie would toss aside something she was working on, frustration seeping through her flushed cheeks. An encouraging pat on the shoulder from Thomas brought back a smile and she returned to the task. Soon, the device began to take shape. From where he was sitting, Ferb could see that a small monitor with a single red button held the intricate circuits and small power source. A small scanner rested on top of it, ready to transmit electrons to an awaiting object.

_'It's almost ready.'_ Ferb checked his watch.

_'He should be here soon_' Not a minute later, there was a light knock at the door. He smirked and made his way to open the door. Wide blue eyes greeted him from underneath shaggy brown hair.

"Aloha, Ferb!" Ferb chuckled and let the lanky man in.

"Good afternoon, Django." Ferb showed him to the sliding door.

"So, that's the device she's working on, huh?" Ferb nodded.

"Did you bring her?" Django smiled.

"Yup, she's in the trailer." Ferb nodded once again and slid the door open. Marie and Thomas both looked up at their visitor. Marie ran and hugged him.

"Uncle Django! What are you doing her? I thought you were running a medical center for overworked farm animals with your sister." Django smiled.

"I am, but now I'm moving a pig and her piglets to the center. Want to see them?" Marie jumped in excitement.

"YES!" They both ran to Django's trailer, leaving Ferb and Thomas in the dust. When everyone made it, Django opened the trailer. Marie's heart fluttered when she saw the six piglets, bundled together in a pile, each one containing shades of pink and black.

"Aw, they're adorable!" She glanced over at the bright pink mother. She was lying on her side, breathing heavily. Marie felt sorry for her.

"What's wrong with the mama?" Django sighed and petted the pig's head.

"Well, this is her fifth litter of piglets. Their births put a lot of stress on her and now her heart is wearing down. We're bringing her to the center to see if we can revamp her heartbeat and stabilize her, but I doubt we have the tech to do it." Marie looked at her sadly.

_'I wish there was something we could do.'_ Suddenly, the answer popped in her head.

"Wait here!" She took off to the backyard. Thomas raised an eyebrow at his father, who smirked back. He shrugged at the unsurprising genius behind Django's visit. Marie returned, device in hand.

"Let's see if this will help." She pointed the scanner at the pig and, with a deep breath, pushed the button. A red beam shot from the device and stretched across her body. The monitor lit up with the pig's heart readings, the heartbeat slow and uneven. After a few moments, the beam retracted and the device shut off. Marie looked hopefully at Django.

"Well, did it work?" Django placed his hand on the pig's neck, an unchanged pulse meeting his fingers. He sighed and shook his head. Marie's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Django placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be sad, kiddo. You did what you could, that's what's important. I'm sure she's grateful." Marie pushed his hand off and headed back to the house.

"Yeah…thanks." Django sighed and closed up the trailer. He waved goodbye to Ferb and Thomas.

"Bye, guys. I really thought that would turn out differently." Ferb waved and stood in the driveway until his car disappeared. As he and Thomas reached the door, Phineas pulled up.

"Hey, Thomas, how did today's inventing go?" Thomas shook his head.

"Not well. Marie's pretty upset." Phineas blinked in surprise.

"Really? She must have worked really hard on it." Ferb ushered Thomas in the door.

"Go get Marie. Tell her that her father is here." Thomas nodded and made his way to the backyard. She sat on the edge of the patio, the device at her side. She was looking out over the yard where their workbenches and tools were scattered. Thomas approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Marie, your dad is here to get you." Marie nodded and stood quietly, making her way to her father's car. Thomas watched her leave, then picked up the device.

_'Marie…I'm so sorry…'_ Ferb patted her head as she walked by and hopped into the backseat. Phineas waved goodbye and pulled out towards home. He watched Marie from the rearview mirror.

_'She's never been this upset over a failed invention. I wonder if she was working on something for Isabella.'_ They remained silent as he pulled into their driveway. Phineas quickly unlocked the front door, allowing Marie to slip in first.

"Dinner will be soon." Marie made her way up the stairs.

"I'm not hungry." Phineas walked to the bottom step.

"Want to talk about it?" She shook her head. He sighed and made his way to the kitchen. Marie flung herself face down on her bed.

_'It…it should have worked. I…don't understand.'_ She began sobbing into her pillow.

As he got ready for bed, Phineas slipped down to Marie's room. Peeking in, he saw her sound asleep. He entered, removed her shoes, and pulled her blanket over her. He kissed her forehead and spoke softly.

"Don't work too hard. Your mother would kill me." He flicked of her light and closed the door, missing a lingering tear race down her cheek.

Ferb jolted awake as the phone rang from the living room. He felt Vanessa stir beside him. He leaned over and kissed her.

"Don't worry, I'll get it." Ferb stumbled down the stairs, catching a glimpse of the wall clock.

_'Who in their right mind would call at three in the morning?'_ He turned on the small table lamp and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" His groggy voice was still recognizable by the caller.

"Ferb, it's Django." Ferb rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"Django, it's late. What's wrong?" Ferb could hear loud squeals resonating from wherever Django was. He barely heard Django's answer, but the shock of what he thought he heard nearly knocked him down. He grabbed the edge of the couch to steady himself.

"What did you say?"

"Ferb…it worked."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for all of the support and patience! ^^U Sadly, this will be the final chapter, so I hope you will all read the next story I have lined up! It will be an Adventure Time story, so please be sure to read it when available. You guys have been great!**

Ferb paced quickly around his living room. His mind refused him sleep after Django's call. After the surprising message, Ferb requested him to come over as soon as possible.

_'I can't believe it worked. I just…I can't…believe…it worked. Marie will be absolutely thrilled!'_ Vanessa crossed her arms and stepped in his path to get his attention.

"Ferb, honey, what's wrong? You didn't come back to bed after that call and you haven't spoken at all this morning." She placed a hand on his cheek.

"I'm getting worried." Ferb sighed and placed a hand over hers.

"I..I need you to trust me on this. I don't want to tell you until I am fairly certain of the outcome."

"Ferb…" She eyed her husband questioningly. A screech of tires and an impatient horn outside surprised them both. Thomas sped down the steps, device in hand. Ferb quickly kissed her and headed out the door.

"Django's waiting. I promise I'll explain later." Vanessa sighed as the door closed.

"You better."

* * *

"You mean it really worked!?" Thomas stared incredulously at the supposedly faulty device. He didn't question his father when he was told to be prepared for Django's arrival, although their destination and purpose were unknown to him until they were barreling down the road. Django nodded at his question.

"I can hardly believe it myself. When I got back to the center, the pig showed no improvement. After a couple of hours, she actually got up and played with the piglets. By the time I called your dad, she was as active as a sugar-high toddler. We did a reading on her vitals and they were completely normal." Thomas scooted to the edge of his seat to look at his father.

"We have to tell Marie!" Ferb smirked as they pulled into the Flynn driveway.

"We know." All three jumped from the car and raced to the door. Ferb knocked on the door rapidly. They jumped when the door opened.

"Marie!" Phineas popped around the door, surprised by the company.

"Uh…no, she's in the backyard. What's wrong?" The three anxious guys looked at each other, clearly surprised by him answering the door. Ferb spoke first.

"Well, Marie wanted us to update her on how Django's pig was." Phineas raised an eyebrow. Django jumped in.

"Yeah, the pig wasn't doing well yesterday, so Marie was upset. I've come to tell her that she is okay." Phineas smiled and stepped aside to let them in.

"If you say so." A collective sigh passed between the bunch and they made their way inside towards the back door. As Ferb passed, Phineas grabbed his arm, signaling him to stay. They watched Django and Thomas head out the back. They walked over to watch the group through the window. Marie was sitting under their only tree, staring off in despair. As the guys approached, she slowly looked up at them. Phineas sighed and turned to his brother.

"What's really going on?" Ferb cleared his throat.

"What do you mean?"

"Ferb, my daughter has been upset since I brought her home yesterday. She's barely spoken, which means it's a very prominent problem and I want to know what it is."

"We told you. Marie's upset because she believes she failed to help Django with his pig. He's here to tell her otherwise." An awkward silence hung in the air as the brother's eyed one another. Ferb gulped, knowing that Phineas knew that this wasn't the whole truth. He also knew, however, that he wasn't the one to tell him what the truth was. After a while, Phineas spoke rather lowly.

"So, how is the pig?" Their attention returned to the group outside. Marie was returning from the garage, blueprints in hand. Her smile had finally returned. Ferb smiled.

"She's doing well. Her vitals are back to normal. It just took a little time." Silence fell once again. Ferb heard Phineas' breathe hitch and saw him walk off out of the corner of his eye. He watched his slowly heaving back, seeing him wipe his hands across his eyes.

"So that's it. She actually did it, didn't she?" Ferb wrapped his arm around his brother as he continued.

"I…I've tried…so many times before…but she actually…" Phineas looked up at Ferb, rubbing away the tear trails on his face.

"What does she need to finish it?" Ferb smiled and squeezed him in a sideways hug.

"Just believe in her. She's come this far; she'll complete it." Both turned and observed the determination that now replaced her melancholy.

* * *

_'So the delay is approximately 12 hours, which means…'_ Marie's mind raced as fast as her pencil did across the blueprint, increasing factors in her equations and testing their results theoretically. Thomas watched over her shoulder incredulously. Fifteen minutes ago, she looked as if she had given up on everything, now she had more spirit than ever. He looked over to her face, a slightly amorous smile spreading.

_'She's back.'_ He jumped out of his thoughts when she suddenly turned to him.

"Does that seem logical?" He glanced back to the forgotten plans. All of her equations were changed by factors of 4, leaving all operations of the device effective and non-lethal. Thomas nodded.

"Of course. Should you have increased the factor anymore, then you would be doing more harm than good. I would lower the voltage here, though. That would put a lot of strain on the device. Just add the difference to the exposure time and you would get the same effect." Marie nodded and changed the equations as instructed. With Thomas' approval, she grabbed the device and began the adjustments. Thomas turned to Django, whose mouth hadn't closed since Marie had grabbed the blueprints. Django shook his head out of its stupor.

"Seems like you've got things here. I was never good at the tech stuff, so I'll get out of your hair." He slumped back to the house, still stunned by their genius. Thomas suppressed laughter and turned back to Marie. Her hand shook as she fumbled with a screwdriver, determined to move the screw at the end. The aggravated look in her misty eyes told him that she needed this done. He walked over behind her and, placing his hand over hers, forced her to turn the screwdriver the other way. Marie looked up at him, eyes wide with surprise. Thomas blushed slightly and mumbled, averting his eyes.

"If you can't even do that, maybe I should take over." Marie blinked, still in shock from his "help". She glanced back at the device in thought. Smiling gently, she passed them over to him. Thomas took them, gently set the device on the work bench and began where she left off. Marie tilted her head curiously as she watched him, his cheeks still a little pink.

_'He's helping me like always. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have gotten this far. I…I…'_ She felt a lump develop in her throat and, without thinking, fell forward. Thomas' blush intensified as he felt Marie's face bury into his back. Her arms wrapped around him and her hands clutched the front of his shirt.

"M-marie, what…?" He stopped when her body started to shake, feeling wet dots through his shirt.

"Tommy…I…I…thank you…so much…" Thomas smiled softly. He placed the device and screwdriver down and turned in her arms, hesitantly hugging her.

"I-it's nothing. You shouldn't have to do this alone. I wouldn't…couldn't let you." Marie looked up at him, his eyes averted once again. She wiped her eyes and giggled at his embarrassment. Leaning on her tip toes, she planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you." His face turned a new color of red. He quickly spun around and restarted working.

"L-like I said, it was n-nothing." Marie smiled as he fumbled with the screwdriver. She sat in the chair beside him and waited for him to finish. After a few minutes, Thomas sighed and held the device up for Marie to see.

"Finished." Marie jumped up and grabbed the device, eying it as if it were made of gold. Finally smiling, she pulled him into a quick hug, and then dragged him back to the house.

"It's finished!" Those words left her mouth as soon as she entered the door. Phineas, Ferb, and Django all turned their attention to the children. Marie walked over to her father and showed him the device.

"This is going to help me bring Mama back." Phineas looked silently at the device, then his daughter. Pride overcame him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I knew you could do it." He pulled back and smiled at her.

"You got your perseverance from your mother." Marie blinked in surprise.

"You…knew about this?" Phineas nodded.

"Let's just say a little birdie told me." Marie looked to Ferb and Thomas, both of whom shrugged in ignorance. Phineas chuckled.

"Since you've worked so hard, how about a little break before the big finale? Mr. Slushy Dawg sound good?" Marie bit her lip and looked down at the device, wanting to put it to immediate use. She felt her father's hand on her shoulder.

"That can wait, after all…" he pulled out the cell phone, "…you've got all the time in the world!" Marie chuckled at his corny joke and placed the device on the counter.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Django stretched and cleared his throat.

"I'll head back to the clinic. Sis can't handle all those animals for long, despite what she thinks." Everyone filed out of the door and headed out towards their destinations. By the time Phineas and Marie dropped off Ferb and Thomas, it was already dark.

"Geez, time sure does fly when you're having fun, especially with your uncle." Marie giggled.

"I can't believe you guys built so much out of Slushy Dawgs. No wonder the manager asked you to build something to attract customers." Phineas shrugged.

"Eh…" As they pulled into their driveway, Phineas cleared his throat.

"I just want you to know, Marie, that whatever happens, I'm still proud of you. I know your mother would be, too." Marie stared at her father for a while before smiling. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know, Daddy." She pulled back and bolted out of the car and into the house. Grabbing the phone and device, she ran up to her room. She pulled out her picture box, picking out her newborn picture. She turned on the phone and was shocked by what she found. Along the bottom, an app with a speech bubble flashed. She pressed it and watched as a single message popped up.

_'Ferb told me what you are doing.  
Good luck, baby girl!  
3 Aunt V'_

Marie closed the app with a smile.

_'This is it!'_ She chose the T.T. app and hesitated as the satellite popped up. Taking a deep breathe, she spoke.

"Go to Danville Memorial Hospital, eleven years ago, June 3rd, 11:30p.m." She closed her eyes as the beam scanned her body.

* * *

The sterile smell of the hospital hall alerted her to her arrival. She glanced around the hall, looking for the appropriate room.

_'209, nope. 210, nope. Ah, 211.'_ She stared at the door ahead of her, taking as deep a breath as she could. With shaky hands, she silently peered in the room.

The first thing she noticed was the figure in the corner; her father laid back in the chair, sound asleep. She could faintly her him snore, but not over the heart monitor. Its pauses between beeps let her know that she didn't have too long to linger. She entered the room, moving passed the small bassinet to where her mother lay. Holding the device against her chest, Marie felt her resolve weaken a bit.

_'What if this doesn't work? She looks so pale…I don't know about this.'_ She felt herself backing down. As if sensing her distress, the phone vibrated lightly. Vanessa's message popped up, offering its encouragement. Marie stared at it in awe, replaying what her father had said before she left.

_'They believe in me, so I need to believe in myself.'_ Taking another deep breath, she pointed the device's scanner at her sleeping mother. Glancing over to the bassinet, she smiled and pressed the button. The red beam ran up and down her mother's figure several times, each time filling Marie with hope. After several minutes, the device powered off, signaling its completion.

_'Now, to wait and see.'_ Marie watched the heart monitor intently. The pauses, however, remained the same.

_'Maybe it takes more time.'_ Her focus set on her mother, hoping to see a change in her appearance. She returned her attention to the ever slow beeps of the monitor. Suddenly, she heard soft whimpers coming from the bassinet.

_'Oh no, please, me, don't wake up!'_ When the whimpers became louder, Marie silently ran for the door. As it creaked to a close, she heard cries from her younger self. Footsteps soon followed, as well as soft murmurs of comfort. Marie sighed.

_'That was close.'_ She walked further down the hall, observing the device in her hand.

_'I guess it didn't work.'_ She hung her head low and pulled out the phone. She swallowed the lump in her throat and ordered the phone to take her home. In a flash, she was gone.

Phineas peered out the room, the sudden flash startling him.

"Guess it was a glitch in the lighting, huh?" Marie sniffled in response and began whimpering. He closed the door and returned to rocking her, singing the lullaby he remembered his wife humming earlier. Soon, she was back to sleeping soundly. He gently placed her in the bassinet and returned to his seat in the corner. He observed his wife, slightly concerned at her paleness. He jumped when he heard her take in a deep breath, holding his own. The heart monitor went silent for a moment.

* * *

Marie dropped the phone and device on the floor of her room, not caring if they broke. She climbed onto her bed and buried her head in her pillow.

_'It didn't work. Why…why didn't it work?'_ She began to sob into her pillow. She couldn't take it anymore.

_'I give up. I let everyone down. I…can't do it.'_ She heard a soft knock on her door, followed by her father's voice.

"Marie, are you okay? What happened?" She buried her face deeper into the pillows.

"I don't want to talk about it. Please, just…leave me alone." She heard the door open and footsteps approach her bed. She hugged the pillows closely, refusing to look her father in the face. She felt the bed lean down slightly as he sat.

"I don't want to talk about it." A tender hand pushed some hair behind her ear and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her gently into an embrace. She clenched her eyes shut as she cried into a warm chest. She felt a hand run through her hair, something her father never did. Her eyes opened wide as a soft, calming voice began to hum her lullaby. She pulled back, staring at the chest of the one who comforted her. Since when did her father wear pink? Slowly her eyes drifted upward. Teary blue eyes met comforting dark blue, a new, yet familiar face. Marie felt her chest bubble and lunged at her comforter.

"M-m-mama…" She cried happily into Isabella's chest as her mother wrapped her in another lovingly embrace. Phineas walked over and placed a hand on Isabella's shoulder, happy to see his family complete again. Marie pulled back and looked up at her mother. Isabella wiped the tears from her eyes and ruffled her hair, smiling proudly.

"That's my girl."


End file.
